The Birmingham League second team finished last in Division 1 and was relegated.

BDCL Division 2A

Fixtures & Results 2007-08

Olton A v Olton B
Jim McDonald on board five had a reasonably quick draw with Dave Brown, before adjourning to the snooker room. Steve Chadaway on bottom board went material down but adjourned in an improved position. Dave Cheshire on board 3 drew with Andy Cottom, after an early advantage petered out, while Richard Reynolds drew with Paul Hodgskin on top board, with a slightly worse position. Trevor Holt's game looked like a win for what seemed an eternity, the many twists and turns causing as much anguish for the onlookers as the players. Eventually, Chris Pitt's options ran out and the A team went one ahead. Richard Smith adjourned against Ken Allen a pawn up and went on to win, but Steve Chadaway lost to John Llewelyn.

Halesowen v Olton
Early signs were of a heavy defeat for the visitors, although it didn't turn out as badly as first thought. Richard Reynolds on board 1 struggled with a very restricted position, but the glue held and the game was drawn. Richard Smith got into a typically wild position which used up all his time and eventually did for him. Trevor Holt showed some early promise, but this game finished without clear conclusion, while Steve Chadaway came under heavy pressure and eventually lost. Dave Cheshire took a draw to lose the match, leaving John Llewelyn with a slight edge in the endgame. John subsequently drew.

Olton v Sutton Coldfield
Richard Smith playing on top board had a great win against a high-graded opponent. Meanwhile, Trevor Holt on three was embarking on another journey down the favoured 'Bishop sac on f7' route. Steve Chadaway managed a draw on bottom board and Dave Cheshire on four also recorded a draw against Sutton's latest child chess genius. Trevor's opponent, having arrived late, could not cope with the multitude of threats and was caught in cross-fire in the centre of the board. Jim McDonald had a good position early on, but it all went wrong on board 5 and the game was lost. However, another difficult position early on for Richard Reynolds on two was equalised and the game was drawn to win the match.

Solihull v Olton
Richard Reynolds lost after a poor move on board 1. Steve Chadaway scored a creditable draw on board 4, as did Paul Hodgskin on six. The others were adjourned. Dave Cheshire and Trevor Holt subsequently lost, but Jim McDonald won his game.

Tamworth v Olton
Reserve Andy Cottom was last to arrive and first to finish on bottom board. Steve Chadaway had the upper hand on board 5, but lost his way and went on to lose. Jim McDonald on four found an opening on his opponent's Queens side and looked set for an easy win. There were a few complications, but Jim found them all and won shortly after. Dave Cheshire had a good position on three and went on to draw. Richard Smith on board 2 had threats on his opponent from all directions and eventually, there was one threat too many, another good win for Richard. With the match already won, Richard Reynolds tried to hang on to a slightly worse position, which didn't get any better and eventually told.

Olton v Shirley & Lucas
Richard Reynolds drew on top board after having an apparent advantage which went nowhere. Dave Cheshire drew on two later, after both sides had passed pawns on either side of the board. Paul Hodgskin drew on bottom board with a slight minus, but Jim McDonald lost a piece from a won position and went on to lose. The other two were adjourned and Steve Chadaway subsequently won a rook & pawn ending. Trevor Holt also won in surprising fashion to take the match.

Stourbridge v Olton
Richard Reynolds won on board 2 from a promising position, when his opponent left a mate on. Dave Cheshire drew fairly boringly on board 3, but Jim Mcdonald lost on five, after getting his queen trapped. The other three games were adjourned, Trevor Holt resigning before resumption and Steve Chadaway drew a promising position. Richard Smith went back and won his game to draw the match.

Warley Quinborne v Olton
Richard Smith drew on top board, while Trevor Holt lost on three. Andy Cottom levelled the score with a quick win. The other three were adjourned but agreed drawn to draw the match.

Olton v Birmingham
A strong Birmingham side was too good for the team. Richard Smith on top board had a typically exciting game and looked to be on course for a win, but it all went wrong. Richard Reynolds sat on the worse end of a Queens Gambit on two for most of the game and it was eventually agreed drawn. Dave Cheshire had a quick and uneventful draw on three and Jim McDonald did well to score a draw on board four. Steve Chadaway looked in trouble on board five, but his opponent had other ideas, which resulted in him being mated on Steve's third rank. Ken Allen on six went an exchange down and held on for longer than anyone cared to remember, before losing his game and with it the match.

Olton v Lichfield
Richard Smith on board 2 had a slightly cramped position, but his opponent simplified and the game was drawn. Dave Cheshire on three had more of the space, but this game was also drawn after various exchanges. Steve Chadaway on board 4 was caught in a king's side attack and lost, while Ken Allen on six drew early and adjourned to the TV room for the football. Richard Reynolds on board 1 and Jim McDonald both adjourned, but these were agreed drawn.

Olton v West Bromwich
Richard Smith had another promising position on board 1, but blundered late on and lost. Richard Reynolds was under the cosh on board 2 all the way through, but held on for a draw. Dave Cheshire on three lost a piece after getting his Queen trapped and lost. Steve Chadaway and Jim McDonald scored early draws on boards 4 and 5, but John Llewelyn was trounced by an old adversary on six.

South Birmingham v Olton
Fielding two reserves, Olton visited our local rivals. Richard Smith on top board seemed to go wrong in the opening and spent a lot of time over the first fifteen moves. He was able to reach a drawn position with a couple of minutes to spare. Richard Reynolds on two had a slow build up, but both players were unable to risk anything at the time control and this game was also drawn. Dave Cheshire's game on board three was fairly uneventful and was also drawn. Steve Chadaway won late on on board 4, threatening checkmate, queening and winning of material simultaneously. Dave Brown drew the adjournment and Warren Archibald lost on bottom board.

Trophy matches

Terrill Trophy

•      Round 1
  Tuesday 25th September - Olton IIA 4-4½ South Birmingham IC
  Richard Smith drew from a decent position on board two as did Jim McDonald on four, but the others were adjourned. Richard Reynolds drew a tricky ending, but Dave Cheshire and Paul Hodgskin resigned before resuming and Steve Chadaway's solid looking position crumbled to lose the match.
   

Homer trophy

•      Round 1
  Tuesday 13th November - Olton IIA 4-3½ Walsall Kipping III
  A weak Walsall side nearly scored enough points with the handicap, but Olton pulled through. Richard Reynolds had a straightforward win on top board, while there were also wins on boards three and four for Trevor Holt and Jim McDonald. Steve Chadaway drew on 5, but Jim Gillespie lost on board six. Fortunately, Dave Cheshire on board drew after a tricky variation of the Scandinavian Defence.
   
•    Round 2
  Tuesday 15th January - Olton IIA 4-3½ South Birmingham III
  With two players failing to show, the visitors were always up against it, but the result was by no means certain, with the 1½ handicap. Ken Allen went an exchange down on board 4 and Richard Reynolds got into a tricky opening on two. Dave Cheshire on three drew after a fairly boring game, which he could have played on if required. Steve Chadaway also drew without making much headway on four. Ken Allen somehow got down to a Knight and Pawns v Rook & pawns ending with his pawns in better positions and earned a draw. Richard Reynolds, by now with a small advantage, drew to win the match.
   
•    Semi-Final
  Tuesday 19th March - Olton IIA 3½-2½ Sutton Coldfield II
  The match stood at 1 each at adjournment, Warren Archibald's win on bottom board cancelled out by Richard Smith's loss from a winning position on board 1. Richard Reynolds agreed a draw at adjournment on board 2. The resumption saw a bizarre series of events where Dave Cheshire won as expected, Steve Chadaway blundered an lost a safe position and Jim McDonald won his opponent's Queen and the match.
   
•    Final
   Olton 2½-3½ Stourbridge II
  The Finals night did not prove fruitful for Olton. Richard Smith left himself impossibly short of time in a King's gambit on board 1. Richard Reynolds on two struggled early on, but was able to complicate matters sufficiently to reach a drawn position. Dave Cheshire was better early on on board 3, but the tables were turning and a draw was agreed. Jim McDonald on four had some early problems to resolve, but drew comfortably. Steve Chadaway on board 5 had probably the best game, but was unable to do better than a draw, while Warren Archibald also drew on six.

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Last modified: 04/11/08